“Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.” —Victor Hugo
If you are one of the people who read the fine print in our hymnals, you are probably familiar with the name of the Rev. Jason Shelton. He is the composer of hymns like “Morning Has Come,” “Standing On The Side Of Love,” “The Fire Of Commitment,” and “Life Calls Us On.” An ordained minister as well as an accomplished musician, Jason was the Minister of Music at the First UU Church of Nashville, TN, for many years. Since he retired from that position last year, the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) commissioned him to conduct a study of the music programs in UU congregations across the country. Jason has also continued to write music for worship.
The UUCM Music Committee, Senior Ministers, and I are very excited to let you know that we have invited Jason Shelton for a four-day visit to our congregation. He will be rehearsing with the Chalice Choir on the evening of Thursday, August 23; meet with our clergy, staff, and lay leaders to discuss the visions for our music program (particularly with regard to staffing) on Friday, August 24; conduct an all-day choir workshop open to singers from across the region (culminating in a public performance) on Saturday, August 25; and lead the worship service on the morning of Sunday, August 26.
Please mark your calendars! This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of an important part of our congregation, and we hope that many of you will participate in the conversations and music-making with Jason.
Have a wonderful summer!